It's A Slytherin Life
by penguingirl266
Summary: Snape is ready to throw his life away...what happens when James Potter has to save him? Basically a cross between "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Harry Potter" . Please RR! Chapter 7 is UP!
1. Disclaimer

Hi random persons!!!! I figured I needed to write something funny again (One  
  
Week was killing my happy mood) so I have decided to do this parody!  
  
It's a cross between the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" (which is an AWESOME  
  
movie that you should go see) and Harry Potter! PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I love  
  
reviews!!!  
  
WARNING: This story contains respectful references to God and angels, so  
  
if that is against your religion, I would advise you not to read this. Also, this  
  
takes place post-OotP, so there are some MAJOR spoilers! (If you haven't read  
  
OotP yet, shame on you!)  
  
Ok, enjoy! P.S. Read my other stories, they are worth reading!  
  
Disclaimer: Um, let me check-Nope, I'm still not J. K. Rowling. *sobs  
  
hysterically* Ok. Yes, I am calm now. :)  
  
Also, read the stories by my friends prettypink and TheHyperFreek- they have  
  
written some incredible (and ridiculously funny) stories! 


	2. Prayers

I won't say anything-it was all said in the disclaimer-so just read and enjoy!  
  
Review and give me suggestions! Thanks!  
  
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"Life is real! Life is earnest!  
  
And the grave is not its goal;  
  
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,  
  
Was not spoken of the soul."  
  
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, *A Psalm of Life*  
  
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Chapter One  
  
Prayers  
  
The clouds parted and, for an instant, it seemed as if all of the stars in the  
  
universe were gleaming down upon Earth. Many on Earth took this as a sign that  
  
God was listening, and took the opportunity to pray.  
  
At a certain castle in Great Britain, a wizened old man could be heard  
  
muttering, "Please, God, help Severus Snape. I fear tonight he may take his own  
  
life."  
  
A woman's crisp, clear voice rang out in her chamber. "Dear God, I have  
  
never been on very good terms with Severus Snape, but please help him  
  
tonight. Show him the way."  
  
"God," squeaked a two-foot-tall professor, "Severus Snape needs help.  
  
Pleas help him tonight."  
  
All over Hogwarts people were praying for one man, a man in serious  
  
trouble.  
  
And far, far away, beyond all the galaxies of the universe, up in Heaven,  
  
the angels heard their prayers. One being would be sent to help him-and it was  
  
the being that everyone thought least likely for the job.  
  
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Lol, this will get more interesting in the second chapter, I PROMISE!!! PLEASE  
  
READ AND REVIEW!!! :) 


	3. The Calling

A/N: I am SO sorry about the long wait, but I have been EXTREMELY busy for the past few weeks. I was in a play, so I spent a lot of time on that, and then I took my spring break in Florida. Now that I'm back and everything's settled again, I can concentrate on my writing once again. Again, sorry about the long wait. This chapter should be more interesting than the last one.  
  
Chapter Two The Calling  
  
James Potter yawned, folded up the *Daily Prophet*, and sat up. "Ah, I see Latvia's playing France in the Quidditch finals," he muttered, reading off of the back of his best friend's paper.  
  
Sirius Black grinned and closed his paper. "Latvia's gonna slaughter France," he laughed. "France hasn't won the cup in 87 years."  
  
James chuckled. "Who do they have for a Beater now?" He rechecked the paper. "Ah, yes-Montardent. I remember his picture in the Prophet a few months ago-fellow doesn't look like he has two brain cells."  
  
The men's laughter echoed throughout the room. Sirius stretched out on the couch adjourning to James's and yawned. "Might as well get forty winks while I'm lying here," he muttered. "Great thing about heaven-never have to worry about cleaning house, or going to meetings, or-"A sly smile spread across his face. "Or a sneaky little house-elf who hisses insults out of the corner of his mouth"  
  
James did not laugh. He looked suddenly sober. "Hey, Sirius?"  
  
"Mmmmmm?" Sirius closed his eyes.  
  
"Tell me again-What happened on that night in the Department of Mysteries?"  
  
This got Sirius's attention. He jolted up from half-sleep like an awakened mummy. He had already told James all about the Department of Mysteries plenty of times-but James wanted to hear it again and again. And especially the part about his son.  
  
"James, you've got to stop asking me this," said Sirius in a low voice. "You can't change the past-and you can't brood on it, either," he added, seeing the stubborn look on James's face. "I know how much Harry means to you-he meant nearly as much to me. But life-and death-goes on. You've got to look to the future."  
  
James's mouth pulled down in a frown, but before he could say anything, an official-looking angel wearing a badge arrived. Sirius and James rose to their feet at once in greeting.  
  
The official seemed rather snobby, and his manner reminded Sirius intensely of Percy Weasley. "I have an urgent message for a Mister James Potter," sneered the official. "You will follow me at once to the Head Angel."  
  
James's face fell. Surely he couldn't have done anything wrong?  
  
Sirius sensed his best friend's apprehension. "Don't worry, mate. I'll come with you." He glanced appraisingly towards the official. "If it's all right with- *Your Lordship*." Sirius inclined his head slightly.  
  
"*I* have no objections," remarked the official, nose high, "but I cannot speak for the Head Angel. Follow me then."  
  
As the two men trailed the official through many long, seemingly endless corridors, James became more and more panicky. He wondered desperately what he had done wrong. Sirius put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, mate," he whispered feverently. "It'll be fine." James couldn't help but notice that Sirius's hands were shaking as well.  
  
After what seemed like eternity, but what was really only a few minutes, the official was pushing them in a door. "I have Mr. Potter-and friend," he announced disapprovingly.  
  
"Come in, come in," called a deep voice. The voice sounded firm, but not unkind.  
  
The two Marauders found themselves in a cozy meeting room. A long table was surrounded by a bunch of large, cushy armchairs with wheels. James at once felt himself relax. A man who put comfortable chairs in a room surely couldn't be that bad.  
  
"You are excused now, Charles," called the voice. The official nodded and flew out the door, closing it behind him. "You two," came the voice. "Sit."  
  
James and Sirius nodded and sat.  
  
"Now," said the voice, "I can reveal myself."  
  
It was as though a bright light had just been turned on over the head of the table, revealing a stocky, very ordinary looking man. The only thing unusual about him was the giant wings protruding from his back.  
  
No one spoke. Finally, Sirius got up the nerve to say, "Please, sir, I wasn't going to come along, but James is my best friend and..."  
  
"It's alright," said the man. He sounded amused. "You may stay. Do you know why you are here, James?" James shook his head. "You are not here for punishment. You did not do anything wrong."  
  
James let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding.  
  
"You are here," said the Head Angel slowly, "to earn your Wings."  
  
James's eyes grew wide. Finally! After nearly 15 years, his wings were in sight. James was well-known to be a boy at heart in Heaven. He had accomplished minor tasks, but never nearly enough to earn his Wings, and Sirius hadn't been around long enough to earn his. Lily, ever the responsible woman, had achieved Wings her first year in Heaven. Now, finally, she would stop nagging James about getting his!  
  
"Oh, is *that* all!" roared Sirius, slapping James on the back. "From the way that official talked, you would've thought you were on your way to Azkaban!"  
  
"Charles is a bit-er-shall we say, *overenthusiastic* about his job," commented the Head Angel, sounding amused again. "He makes every summons sound *morbid*, and the people who arrive are trembling with fear." He chuckled. "But we're getting off topic."  
  
"What must I do to earn my wings?" asked James. He could hardly wait.  
  
"You must save a life, James," said the Head Angel. "A man is about to commit suicide, and you must try to convince him that life is a good path, after all."  
  
"It sure is," muttered Sirius. "God, do I miss life."  
  
"Never use Our Lord's name in vain," reminded the Angel. "Well, James? Are you up to the task? If you succeed, you will earn your Wings, of course."  
  
James thought for a moment. His task sounded a bit hard, but he wanted his wings so badly-and he wouldn't mind going down to Earth again, either, if only for a short while.  
  
"I'll do it!" he said finally.  
  
"Good man, James!" smiled the Head Angel. "I will give you some instruction before you leave. Now, I suppose you want to know the name of the person you will be saving?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
The Head Angel looked down at a clipboard. "Where is it? I've shuffled my papers a bit here," he muttered to himself. "Ah, yes. Here it is." He cleared his throat. "The man's name," he read aloud, "is Severus Snape." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Lol, wasn't that mean of me, leaving you like that! Don't worry-I'm going to post more chapters SOON (I hope). If I get REALLY good reviews, I'll post the next chapter. You will make me so happy if you review! Go on-two minutes out of your day to make me the happiest author alive :) 


	4. Desicions

A/N: Before I begin, I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter (see my bio for more). One of the reasons I took so long was the plot. In the movie, the angels show Clarence George Bailey's earlier life so he has an idea of what is going on. However, for Harry Potter, James already knows about Snape at Hogwarts, and plus we don't know all that much about the rest of Snape's personal life. However, I have decided to try and pull it off. I'm still working on that part trying to get it right, so I've provided you with this short chapter on James's reaction and decision. Expect things to get more exciting in the next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: The song Sirius sings in the middle belongs to someone else. I don't know who sang it, I don't know what it's called, but it's not mine. (Donkey sings it in Shrek, which is where I picked it up)  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
DESICIONS  
  
"The man's name," he read aloud, "is Severus Snape."  
  
Silence in the little room.  
  
Suddenly, James let out a high-pitched squeak before he could stop himself. His face had a pasty tinge to it, as though he had just swallowed a gallon of Stinksap, and his eyes had turned large, round, and dark.  
  
Sirius, on the other hand, was turning redder by the second, shaking with suppressed laughter. He looked as though he were taking a fit, while James, by contrast, looked like he belonged on his deathbed in St. Mungo's.  
  
Finally Sirius, who couldn't take the pressure any longer, let his laugher free. He sobbed with laughter, and soon he was rolling along the floor in his mirth. Sirius always did know how to overdo things.  
  
James was still in shock. The Head Angel poured him some water. "Here, drink this," he commanded. James took the cup, still shaking, and chugged down the contents. Slowly he began to recover, and he finally took a look around. The Head Angel's expression was hard to read, but James looked into his dark eyes and saw amusement dancing in them. If he starts laughing, thought James angrily, it'll be more than I can bear.  
  
The Head Angel refrained from laughter, though the amusement in his eyes was now wilder than ever. "Er, Sirius—we would appreciate your presence up here," he called to Sirius, who was now on the other side of the room.  
  
Sirius finally got up, wiped the tears off his face and robes, and sat down again. "Sorry, mate," he said, beginning to giggle again, "but that was so funny!" He looked up. The Head Angel was not smiling now.  
  
"Sirius, I was under the impression that friends are supposed to support each other in times of frustration, not laugh at them," the Head Angel rebuked quietly, referring to James, and Sirius felt as though he was twelve years old again, being scolded quietly by Dumbledore for setting off Dungbombs. He hung his head, ashamed. "Sorry," he muttered. He turned to his friend. "Sorry, James." But James could see that he still thought it was funny.  
  
"That's quite alright," said the Head Angel, looking at James. James nodded his agreement. "Now, let's get back to business," muttered the Head Angel. He looked at James. "James, I know perfectly well that you knew Snape, and I know that the two of you—er—weren't exactly fond of each other, to put it mildly. However, that is exactly why I chose you to be his guardian angel.  
  
James blinked. Why...  
  
The Head Angel seemed to have read James's mind. "It may seem strange to you, James, but this is exactly what God wanted. It is time to put aside all hate and show trust and faith in each other. If you can do that, and succeed, you will most certainly have earned your wings. I know it won't be easy, but I have faith in you James, and I truly believe you can do this."  
  
"But...how?" choked James.  
  
Sirius got a gleam of mischief in his eye. He got up and began to sing outrageously, putting the dance moves in with it.  
  
"Cause you've gotta gotta show a little TENDERNESS..."  
  
"That will do, Sirius," replied the Head Angel quietly, before Sirius could get started on another laughing jag. He turned to James. "Well, James, what do you think? You still have a choice."  
  
James screwed up his eyes in concentration. Voices began to come at him...his brain was arguing furiously over the concept.  
  
"Didn't I tell you," began his head, "that getting your wings was near impossible? It's definitely not possible now...Severus Snape! You hate him; you've hated him for years."  
  
"But James is a good boy," his conscience spoke lovingly. "I have full confidence that he can do it."  
  
"Severus Snape is a greasy slimeball of a git," broke in his brain. "I'm telling you, it's IMPOSSIBLE!"  
  
"IT IS NOT!" cried his conscience.  
  
And then James answered them both, furiously, in his mind. "Alright, just shut up, the two of you! I think I can make up my own mind, thanks very much!"  
  
"But I am your own mind," said his brain wheedlingly.  
  
"I don't care! Just go away!"  
  
Muttering resentfully, his mind and his conscience silenced, leaving James to decide for himself.  
  
What to do now? Severus Snape was far from his ideal person he would have chosen to save, on the contrary, he was pretty much the last person he would have chosen. But his wings! They were an honor he'd been waiting for far too long already, and if he didn't help Snape, he didn't know when he'd get another chance.  
  
Besides, James thought, maybe the Head Angel was right. Maybe it was time to put aside all hate. After all, thought James, there is enough hate in this world already. Did an old schoolboy grudge need to add more?  
  
James opened his eyes. The Head Angel and Sirius were both looking at him. He took a deep breath. "Sir, I have decided to save Severus Snape in order to earn my wings." His voice was strained, yet firm.  
  
Sirius looked as though his eyes were about to pop out of his head and clear across the room. James looked into the Head Angel's eyes and saw frank approval in them. "You're a true man, James," said the Head Angel, shaking his hand.  
  
Sirius was dumbfounded. He tried to speak a few times, but all that came out were strangled gasps. Finally he choked and said, "Mate, I never thought you would take this job! I'm astounded! Well, better you then me, I guess." He slapped James on the back. James gave him a thumbs up, and the two of them grinned. Sirius was back to normal.  
  
"Great!" said Sirius. "Now you can give Snape what he deserves-a good kick in the ass!"  
  
"Language, Sirius," chided the Head Angel. "And I'm afraid that is strictly against the rules. But James," and at this the angel turned towards him, "there is no rule against—er--roughing him up a bit." The Head Angel chuckled.  
  
James and Sirius knew what he was about. All three men's eyes twinkled.  
  
"Soooo..." The Head Angel thought for a moment. "Where to begin? Ah, yes. James, before you set off to save Severus, you must learn his previous life. You knew him at Hogwarts, of course, but only as an enemy. Now you must learn his childhood, his secrets...his life."  
  
"This should be interesting," quipped Sirius. He imitated a newscaster. "A record-breaking moment in Severus Snape's life—he washes his hair!" James and Sirius laughed. The Head Angel ignored them. He reached behind him and placed on the table what looked like a small Pensive.  
  
"Ready, James?" James nodded. "Oh, and Sirius, I would appreciate you keeping your comments to yourself during this showing."  
  
The Head Angel tapped the Pensive three times with his hand. "Severus Snape," he said in a loud and clear voice.  
  
Immediately, colors and sounds began to swirl around the three men, and they found themselves being transported back, back through time and space to the past, where the secrets of Severus Snape were about to be revealed.  
  
Review, review, please review! You will make me so happy! Next chapter coming soon! 


	5. Into Darkness

A/N: I am very sorry for keeping you so long without this chapter. I had a hard time writing this chapter, but I think it turned out pretty well. What happened is that I hit a major snag and had to rewrite this chapter several times before it was to my liking. I hope that, since I am now on summer vacation, chapters will take less time. Don't lose hope! I'm sorry again, but for now, enjoy! Review please! And check my bio page for updates :)  
  
Without further ado, I give you...CHAPTER 4!!!  
  
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CHAPTER 4 INTO DARKNESS  
  
Immediately, colors and sounds began to swirl around the three men, and they found themselves being transported back, back through time and space to the past, where the secrets of Severus Snape were about to be revealed.  
  
James landed first, softly, on the balls of his feet. Sirius followed, and then, finally, the Head Angel, clutching the Pensieve-looking object. The three men looked around. They were standing in what appeared to be a very dark, cramped apartment. The smell of rotting garbage pierced their nostrils, and Sirius pinched his nose dramatically. James thought perhaps they'd taken a wrong turn. "Are you sure this is the place?" he asked the Head Angel.  
  
"I'm sure," said the Head Angel, appearing to be very interested in the walls of the apartment and avoiding James's eyes. Sirius looked too stunned to speak, and James could understand his surprise. They had never thought much of Severus Snape, but have him live HERE? This place seemed unworthy of any human being.  
  
James gulped, breathing in more of the foul scent. He finally got up the courage to turn around and ask the Head Angel, "Where are we?"  
  
"Welcome to London's Lower East Side," replied the Head Angel, still not looking at James or Sirius. He sighed, and finally looked James directly in the eyes. James was startled to see sorrow in them. "It is November 21, Severus Snape's 5th birthday. He lives here with only his parents, as he is an only child." The Head Angel gave another sorrowful sigh. He scraped his feet on the moldy carpeted floor. It was the first time James had ever seen him look uncertain that day. James and Sirius were even more surprised at the Head Angel's next words.  
  
"Boys, I want to apologize for making you see this. It is very traumatic, and there are parts that I myself can barely stand to watch. However, it is necessary for you to watch this, James, so you can save Severus more efficiently."  
  
Both Sirius and James' mouths opened in little O's of shock.  
  
There was no time to say anymore, for at that moment, they heard little footsteps padding softly across the floor. A door to another room quietly opened, and a pair of beetle black eyes darted around the room, as if looking for a disturbance of any kind. James and Sirius realized that they could not be seen or heard. There was no time to dwell upon this, however, for young Severus Snape walked into the room.  
  
It was something like a shock to the two former Hogwarts students to see him young. His skin had the same greenish tint, his hair was as greasy as ever, but he looked—James checked to make sure he was seeing correctly—he looked happy. The boy trotted into the small living room—if you could call it that—and grinned. "It's my birthday!" he announced to the apparently empty room. He carried a small stuffed owl, and he started chatting with it animatedly. "Hear that, Rowley? It's my birthday! I'm five today! Mummy made me a big chocolate cake, and—"  
  
His words were cut off abruptly by the sound of loud yelling from another room. Snape turned, and the happy look was wiped off his face in an instant. He looked nervous, almost fearful, and James wondered what was happening. He didn't have to wait long to find out.  
  
From another door came a man and a woman, Snape's parents. The woman, who had long stringy hair, had tears running down her cheeks, but she was still shouting in rage. The father bellowed back, and Snape ran to hide in the corner as they fought fiercely in the middle of the living room.  
  
"You can't blame him for it!" shrieked Mrs. Snape. "It's not his fault, poor boy; you act like he brought it on himself!"  
  
"He DID bring it upon himself!" boomed Mr. Snape. "Idiot boy, sneaking out of the Boar's Head while we were busy! He deserved it, too, son of a Mudblood."  
  
"DON'T blame Severus for my blood lines!" sobbed Mrs. Snape, still yelling. "He doesn't deserve it! Blame me all you want, but spare Severus! It's his birthday, for God's sake! Just let him have ONE happy day!"  
  
Severus had slumped into a corner of the dark room, and was now crying, but his quiet wails could barely be heard over the screams of the two adults.  
  
"Oh, excuse ME!" cried the man. "How DARE you, you—you—Mudblood, standing up for that vampire child of ours! You are not fit to live! Both of you are not fit to live!"  
  
At this point, young Severus cried out, "Why can't you two just be happy for once? It's my birthday! Please..." he began to cry again.  
  
His father turned towards him, his face showing more hatred than James and Sirius had ever seen. He began to beat his son fiercely, screaming curses and insults at him. Mrs. Snape tried to pull her husband off of Severus, but he threw her off, and she crumpled on the floor in a fit of coughing. She began coughing up blood, and the man was still beating Severus, who was now sobbing full force. The little toy owl was in shreds, dust was flying all over the room, and Mr. Snape's curses grew louder, if possible.  
  
The Head Angel muttered something under his breath, and all three observers were whisked away, away from the coughing and the curses and the crying, to another world altogether.  
  
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A/N: That chapter was a LOT more serious (no pun intended) than the last three, sorry :( But it had to be, to get my point across. I'll try to put more humor in later chapters—I know you are all looking forward to the chapter where Snape discovers that James is supposed to save him! I'm looking forward to writing it. Most of the questions you have about this chapter will be answered in Chapter 5. And now for some review responses :)  
  
Lucky: Thank you! I appreciate the devotion. If you wanted to, I could email you every time I post a new chapter, or you could put me on Author Alert. Just a thought :) I think you will like Snape's reaction lol.  
  
Remus Lupin's Lover: Lol, your review made me laugh. Your review sounds like an ice cream cone. Mmmmm...ice cream. I must go raid the freezer. Thanks for the review!  
  
Silverthreads: Please don't give up! I WILL continue to post. Hmmmm...an interesting situation indeed ;)  
  
Amandinka: Your wish is my command! Thanks for the review.  
  
TheHyperFreek: Yes, I know you love the Sirius personality, but for heaven's sake, please do not start crying again about OotP! Lol, jk ;) Glad you are enjoying it!  
  
Excessivelyperky: Thanks! James as Clarence—now THERE'S an interesting combination! Lol.  
  
Keika no Keiyou: Ha! Yes, this is truly evil of me, sticking poor Severus with James. Snape is not going to appreciate this... I see you have thought this ahead with the "I wish I'd never been born thing"...good for you! You will just have to wait and see how that works out...  
  
Gyre: Well, James may earn his wings if he pulls this off, but I don't know about him earning Sirius's ;) Thanks for the review!  
  
Prettypink: Thanks! Yeah, everybody's looking forward to Snape's reaction. I know you think that since you're my best friend you get sneak peeks at later chapters, but you'll just have to wait with everybody else to find out...((wink wink))  
  
Empress T'Pau: I can't thank you enough for this review, because it encouraged me to keep posting. So thank you, thank you a thousand times. And don't worry about the randomness; I do it a lot too :) As for the praying thing...I figure that I warned people in the disclaimer, so if they don't want to read it because of that, it's fine with me ((shrugs)). Thanks again! I can't thank you enough.  
  
Four-eyed Snail: Thanks I will. Yes, Snape will in fact be cynical during the story, but that's pretty predictable ;) You will have to wait to see just how pessimistic he is.  
  
Ok everyone, that's it! I'll post soon, I promise! 


	6. Explanations

A/N: I was going to get this up after camping, I swear. My computer crashed, and I lost nearly all my files. Thankfully, this one was saved, but it took me quite a while to find it. So that's why I didn't post sooner. Sorry :(  
  
I hope it's worth the wait! Enjoy!  
  
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CHAPTER 5  
  
EXPLANATIONS  
  
The Head Angel muttered something under his breath, and all three observers were whisked away, away from the coughing and the curses and the crying, to another world altogether.  
  
The blackness swirled around them once more, and suddenly, they were there. James and Sirius blinked. They were back in the meeting room, sitting in the same chairs, as if they had never left. For a moment, the three men sat, staring at the walls, the table, anything but each other. But finally, James knew that the awkward silence had to be broken.  
  
James cleared his throat and looked over at the Head Angel. "What was that?" he asked quietly. His voice was quite shaky. He dared to look over at Sirius, who for once wasn't making snide remarks. On the contrary, he looked pale.  
  
The Head Angel sighed deeply and turned towards James. "That, as I told you before, was Severus Snape's 5th birthday. What other questions do you have? I'm sure there are quite a few that must be answered.  
  
It was not James who spoke this time, but Sirius. "What—what—well—his father—why..." he stuttered hoarsely.  
  
The Head Angel sighed again. "I suppose I should do some explaining." James and Sirius nodded and drew in closer.  
  
The Head Angel rubbed his temples. "Severus Snape's mother, Althea Snape, was a Muggle-born. His father, Ares Snape, was a pure blood, as you wizards put it, and he wanted absolutely nothing to do with Muggle-borns. However, the two were enchanted with each other as soon as they met, and Althea managed to keep her blood lines a secret from him until they married. He found out who her parents were right after she became pregnant with Severus, and he nearly killed her in his rage. Ares hated Severus even before he was born, just because he wasn't the son of two pure bloods. That scene you just saw? That was a pretty frequent occurrence in the Snape household. Ares had a big inheritance coming to him, but after his parents found out what he had married into, they withdrew the inheritance. Althea was pretty poor as it was, so that apartment was pretty much the only place they could afford to live. That was another reason Ares hated his wife and son so much—the inheritance. Does that answer your question?"  
  
Sirius nodded, too shocked to speak.  
  
There was silence for a few more minutes as the three men contemplated this, then James spoke up. "But his father—his father said—that Severus is a—well, he can't be—can he? Is he?" Both Sirius and James were talking in starts and stops, but the Head Angel understood.  
  
"Yes," he said quietly. "Severus Snape is a vampire." James and Sirius gasped.  
  
"Well, that would explain a lot, wouldn't it?" said Sirius, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room again. "Is that what his parents were talking about, at the beginning of the scene?"  
  
"Yes," said the Head Angel, nodding. "A few weeks before his birthday, young Severus and his parents were at the Boar's Head Pub, in Hogsmeade. Do you know the place?" Sirius and James nodded. "Severus's parents stayed all night, getting drunk, and Severus got bored, so he snuck out late. He ducked into the alleyway behind the bar, and let's just say that not the friendliest types dwell there. The alley behind the Boar's Head is quite like Knockturn Alley, if you've ever been there. Well, a vampire lived back there, and he gave Severus quite a nasty bite...nearly killed him, if I remember right. Fortunately, he survived."(Sirius chanced a little snort, but was silenced by a glare from the Head Angel) "However, if you leave a vampire bite to fester instead of treating it right away, you become a vampire yourself. Severus's father refused to treat the bite because he felt his son deserved it, so Severus Snape remains a vampire to this day."  
  
Another long silence fell over the room, and it was James's turn to break it. "But how..." he trailed off, then started on strong again. "We never found out at school. How did he hide it?"  
  
"A very good question," said the Head Angel, nodding approvingly. "Your friend Remus Lupin managed to hide his ailment too, did he not?" James and Sirius nodded. "Very clever man, Albus Dumbledore," the Head Angel went on. "Always felt that all students deserved to be treated equally, unusual or no. And he did manage to hide some ailments quite well."  
  
"Have either of you ever heard of the Hapzalathard Potion?" the Head Angel asked. Sirius shook his head vigorously. James began to, but stopped and gazed off into space.  
  
"I heard of it—once..." he replied. "I think I remember...it's a potion—that weakens the symptoms of--  
  
"A vampire," finished the Head Angel. "The Hapzalathard Potion allows a vampire behave like a normal human being for a period of time, until the potion wears off. There are side effects, however, such as greasy hair..." Sirius shuddered, but James wanted to know more.  
  
"Is that why he could go out into daylight?" he demanded. "Is that why he could eat regular food, and see his reflection in a mirror?"  
  
"Yes to all of those," replied the Head Angel, nodding. "When an individual takes the Hapzalathard Potion, he shows no symptoms whatsoever of being a vampire. However, the potion must be continuously administered in order to subdue the symptoms, which makes it very much like the Polyjuice Potion."  
  
This information was met with silence from the two Marauders.  
  
"He was quite safe to be around, you know," added the Head Angel, almost as a second thought. "Your Potions teacher at Hogwarts, Professor Smythe, brewed an excellent Hapzalathard Potion in his day, and Severus never transformed into his original vampire form at the school. Just the same, none of the students were ever told—save one, who found out for himself."  
  
Sirius, who had been daydreaming about big, pink wads of cotton candy while the Head Angel explained the effects of the Hapzalathard Potion, was alert at once. "Who found out?" he demanded, bringing the real world back into focus. "Do we know him? Who was it?"  
  
"I'm afraid," replied the Head Angel, "that we have time for only a few more memories before James goes down to try and save Severus. But you will indeed find out who discovered Severus Snape for what he truly is. I take you now to Hogwarts. It is Severus Snape's fourth year—yours as well. We must travel back into the past to find out why the present is so." The Head Angel was just about to tape the Pensieve-looking object again when James asked one final question.  
  
"Er—sir—now might not be the right time to ask this, but what was wrong with Snape's mother in that last memory?"  
  
The Head Angel rubbed his hand over his eyes.  
  
"Ah, yes, I almost forgot about her," he said. "Poor Althea Snape. She had tuberculosis."  
  
There was a hateful silence. Then James asked quietly, "What ever became of her?"  
  
"She died shortly after her son's fifth birthday," answered the Head Angel, not looking at James or Sirius. He tapped the Pensieve object again, and the three men swirled into the darkness as the prospect of another discover awaited them.  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
A/N: I know the memories are kind of slow-going, but I have to get through all of them, because they're vital to the plot. I'll write them as quickly as possible, and try not to get too boring. In your reviews, please inform me if the story is as slow as molasses and whether it's boring right now. I kind of needed this chapter to explain some things.  
  
Review responses! Your enthusiastic reviews deserve to be rewarded!  
  
Silverthreads: Thank you so much for your kind reviews! I didn't know my writing had enough power to "move" people. I was feeling extremely guilty about not making that chapter funny, but you convinced me that not everything has to be funny. One question: what is IAWL? Lol, it'll probably turn out to be something really obvious.  
  
Lucky: No trouble at all! Your reviews brighten my day, and if all it takes is a simple email alert, it's time well spent :) I know how nice it is to feel appreciated. I feel a little guilty isn't as humorous as the first parts were, but I have to get some messages across, and the real humor will come in later in the story. I am very much looking forward to write those parts. So thanks a million, and I'll email you with new chapters!  
  
TheHyperFreek: I, too, imagined Severus to have a horrible childhood (obviously). JKR hasn't really said anything about Mr. Snape being a vampirecough cough. Thank you thank you very much!  
  
PrettyPink: Sorry for making you wait (smiles sheepishly). Yeah, I feel really bad for Snape too, but there isn't much I can do about it whistle whistle I hope JKR does write something about his childhood in the books, I want to find out what's his problem! Thanks for your review. (Mrs. Open Mind? First of all, I'm not married, but what do you mean?) And I did have fun on my vacation, thanks for asking.  
  
Bluebird161221: I was a little confused by your review. You said that you're against everything in my story, but you love my story! I'm flattered, just a little confused. I did put a note in the disclaimer about Christianity, didn't I? I'll have to check that. And sorry to tell you this, but cracks about Sevvie is what the story's all about! I intend to poke a little fun at him, as well as show my version of his cruel childhood (what I think happened) and eventually send James down to help him. Have you ever seen the movie "It's a Wonderful Life"? You might want to watch it, it's pretty good. And thanks for the review.  
  
Esta-gr: Thank you very much! Your kind words spurred me to finish the chapter. And I did indeed enjoy my vacation—a week away from my computer was actually refreshing, instead of torture as I had originally thought.  
  
Carole: Thanks a bunch! I hope to have my computer fixed for good so I can get chapters up faster. Reviews make my day :) 


	7. Past Secrets

A/N: I have updated at last! MUHAHAHA!!! cough Sorry, please excuse me. Here is the next chapter. I hope it's to your liking

Recommended reading: "Anything but Ordinary", my prequel to "It's a Slytherin Life". You don't have to read it to understand this story, but I think it's a nice introduction.

- - -

CHAPTER 7

PAST SECRETS

He tapped the Pensieve object again, and the three men swirled into the darkness as the prospect of another discovery awaited them.

The trio found themselves in the Potions classroom of Hogwarts. No one had time to comment on their new surroundings, because almost immediately Sirius and James saw two people that they knew—_used_ to know—very well.

Professor Smythe, the Potions teacher at the time, was ladling something orange and steamy into a flask from a kettle over a burner. "There you are, Severus," he was saying to a greasy-haired adolescent. "Just drink this down in one gulp, and it won't taste so bad."

Snape took the flask without a word and swallowed it with apparent distaste. He silently set the cup back on the desk and headed for the door.

"Be sure to come back in another week to take some more, Severus," called the Professor after him.

"Yes, yes," the heavenly trio could hear him muttering. "I know the rules, you old fool." The Head Angel motioned for Sirius and James to follow him out into the dank hallway.

There they found a most unlikely sight. A prefect, patrolling the corridor, had stopped Severus in his tracks. Moving closer, James and Sirius saw that the prefect was none other than Frank Longbottom.

"Halt!" Longbottom snapped, blocking Snape's path. "Why are you sneaking around here at this hour?"

"I have business with Professor Smythe," Snape sneered. "Move."

"You have business with Smythe every week?" said Longbottom in a disbelieving tone.

"I said, _move_."

Frank shook his head. "No, I don't think I will. I don't think I can just let you pass by without an explanation. There's something up, and I think I know what it is."

"_Sod off!_" snarled Snape.

"I know what you are," whispered Longbottom. "I've been suspecting something for quite a while now, ever since you started coming down here. I've been doing my research." His voice grew menacing. "You're a vampire, Snape. You're taking the Hapzalathard Potion."

What came next was some of the fastest spellwork James and Sirius had ever seen. They couldn't even figure out how Snape had gotten his wand out so fast.

"_Nervulus eneco!_" shouted Snape.

The force of the spell slammed Longbottom into the dungeon wall. He slumped to the ground, unconscious and very pale. Snape took one look at Longbottom's body and began to run. They heard him pounding up the stairs as Professor Smythe came out into the hallway to see what was going on.

"Oh, my God," muttered Smythe when he saw Longbottom. "_Severus!_" he bellowed. He waved his wand effortlessly and floated Longbottom's body up the stairs—to the Hospital Wing, James and Sirius supposed—himself following behind. The three men were left standing in the hallway, speechless.

"Nervulus eneco…" muttered James, "that's a pretty powerful spell…"

"But Snape's a pretty powerful wizard," reminded the Head Angel.

"Not as powerful as _us_!" declared Sirius, puffing up his chest and indicating himself and James.

"You think so?" replied the Head Angel, sounding slightly amused and a little surprised. "We better go watch the next memory, and maybe you'll think him a more powerful wizard than you did before."

The Head Angel, who had taken the Pensieve with him, was about to swirl the memories again, but James stopped him. "Uh…Mr. Head Angel?"

"You can call me Joe," the Head Angel said, smiling. "That was my name before I got the title of Head Angel."

"Uh, yes, right, Joe. Is this the reason why Snape now hates Neville Longbottom so much?"

"Ah, good, James," Joe responded. "You have discovered why this memory is so important. Now you see why I am showing you these memories—these may help you in your mission."

"We only have a few more memories to go, boys," he went on as he began to swirl the memories. "These last few memories are fleeting, but crucial, in order for James to save the life of Severus Snape."

-

A/N: Translation: Nervulus enecokill off nerves—in other words, Snape killed all the nerves in Longbottom's body, which is why Longbottom was so pale. That's a pretty powerful spell in the wizarding world, so it's interesting that Snape knows how to perform it at the age of 14…hmmm…

UP NEXT: Quote from OotP: "A greasy-haired teenager sat alone in a dark bedroom, pointing his wand at the ceiling, shooting down flies…" You do realize, don't you, that some of these memories are from bits and pieces Harry discovered during Occulumency when he broke into Snape's memory ("Seen and Unforeseen page 592) This was all planned :)

UP IN LATER CHAPTERS: Romance for Snape! Of course, since it's Snape, they're not going to live happily ever after…

Review Responses!

Pretty Pink: Lol, and in response to your rather hyper question, -gets hyper- No, you're not right! No no no!!! MUHAHAHA!!!! But kind of, in a sense you are…you'll find out later in the story…MUHAHAHA!!!!

"Would you rather sing 'It's Getting Hot in Here' in front of the school or go out with…?" lol

Esta-gr: Thanks very much! I did enjoy camp, and I hope you liked this chapter. And yes, I enjoy a break from my computer now and then.

Carole: I'm truly sorry I took so long posting this chapter. There's more coming soon!

Silverthreads: Duh! slaps forehead I should have known that, lol. Thanks for being a great reviewer. And in response to your review for "Anything but Ordinary", lol and thanks.

Barbara Kennedy: Thanks so much! The chapter's ready now. I'm reading your fic "Learning to Live Again" and I like it so much! Please post another chapter soon!

Claire Rickman: Awwww, I'm sorry I made you cry! -coughTHIS MUST MEAN I'M A GOOD WRITERcough- I've been camping before when it rained, and our tent fell down! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

TheHyperFreek: Your husband is fun to write about, lol, and Chocolate is NOT Sirius!!!! Heehee. And I did indeed use mythology to write this. Wouldn't our 7th grade English teacher be proud?

Mr. Soft Spoken! Woohoo! -holds up pinky-

Lady Nilamarthiel: Lol! Cool review. I'm glad you like the story. And I love your pen name, did you make it up yourself or is it from a book or movie? Thanks again.

Lucky: Ugh, I hate viruses! Thanks very much for the compliment. I do love your reviews! I hope this chapter is to your liking. :)

Beth5572: You are very welcome indeed. Hope you liked the chapter!


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